Consumer Law Disability Rights

Kalamazoo Shooting Highlights Uber Risk

A Multi-disciplinary rescue team, consisting of paramedics, fireman and a police officer tending to the victim of a car crash

The deadly shootings in Kalamazoo, Michigan last week have highlighted a wider trend of violence and crime. But it has dogged the reputation of ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft. Both of these two companies remain tied to a series of assaults, robberies, and sexual crimes across the country. These incidents have been growing as their reach has also grown.

It was reported that the driver and shooter Jason Dalton took Uber rides in between the two part rampage. During this incident, he was driving erratically and sideswiping cars. Dalton took the lives of six people around the Michigan City. It included visitors to a car dealership that he shot randomly.

Independent Factors.

It was recently shown that the shooter had an online rating from other ridesharers. As NanoNews reported, the chief security officer of Uber even stated that their methods could not have screened out potential violent criminals such as Jason Dalton. CNN also reported on the concerns about security with all Uber services.

Dalton’s role in driving passengers between the two shootings may give police valuable insight to his activities during that period. It also paints him as being calculated and ready to kill further even while driving a client. Such a risk can happen to any person that hails such a ride. And it remains part of the trend of violent incidents that occur due to such rideshare drivers.

Wider Concerns About Uber and Lyft.

This shooting adds to the larger concerns about the screening methods that Uber and Lyft use to find their drivers. Also, these drivers use their personal vehicles. So this increases the risk of accidents and assaults. Furthermore, criminal histories and driving issues cannot be adequately probed by the companies. This leads to a potential of certain drivers causing more accidents. All of these factors dramatically increase the chance of injury and death. And they should serve as a warning to potential clients.